Equivalent of the Hebrew word Messias, meaning anointed. In the Old Law priests, kings, and prophets were anointed; therefore the One who was to combine this threefold dignity in His Person, was looked forward to as Messias, or Christ. As a rule the Evangelists spoke of Our Lord as The Christ. After the Resurrection He was spoken of as Jesus Christ, and pagans who knew not the import of the word for anointed often referred to Him not as Christos, but, regarding His character and leadership, as Chrestus (the excellent one).